Many of us don’t think about or plan for long-term care until a crisis strikes or urgency forces our hand. Thankfully, a new benefit to help Washington families pay for care during a long-term illness, injury or disability is on the horizon. Seventy percent of Washingtonians 65 and older will require...

Starting Jan. 1, more of your paycheck will go missing if you are a W2 worker in Washington.The state will take 58 cents of every $100 you make, while claiming it is for your own good. But it isn’t really, even if you one day qualify for the measly $36,500...

Despite the challenges with the Covid-19 Delta variant, companies continue to add jobs – a good sign of economic stabilization.Unfortunately, we’re also facing the greatest disruption in the labor market in a century. Employers cannot find enough people to fill their open positions. One would think the math is easy...

When it comes to estate planning, there are many variables for retirees to consider, with one of the biggest being the effect of taxes on how much of their wealth they get to pass on.Between several years of accommodative monetary policy and massive federal spending to offset the economic damage...

By Robin Wojtanikfor Hanford Mission Integration SolutionsFollowing a grueling training and instruction regimen, five Hanford Patrol officers became a part of an elite law enforcement squad on the Hanford site, providing enhanced protection from potential security threats.“These five graduates are at the tip of the spear for keeping our materials...

By one key measure, public schools in Benton and Franklin counties have shown strong progress. By another, students in the counties’ public schools are not succeeding.The positive conclusion stems from high school graduation rates, or specifically for this column, the five-year high school graduation rate.Benton-Franklin Trends data reveals steady progress...

Recently someone very dear to me said they were in near physical pain listening to an investment presentation. They were probably exaggerating, but it was an understandable feeling. They went from starting a foundation with budgeting and a savings plan to a detailed review of portfolio theory and valuations.This would...

As higher education costs continue to rise, it is important to consider how best to fund your child’s or grandchild’s education.I propose a multi-pronged approach to use tax-advantaged 529 plans, trusts and term life insurance.The 529 plan offers great long-term savings capability, but in the event of a worst-case scenario,...

By Virginia ThomasSpokane Journal of Business Terri AndersonNew laws and a state-level eviction moratorium bridge have created confusion, and more funding for rental assistance is needed, according to regional landlord and tenant group leaders.Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee’s eviction moratorium bridge expires Sept. 30. It orders landlords and tenants to...

In the fourth quarter of 2020, retail sales came roaring back in Wahkiakum County. The small county in southwest Washington saw nearly a 30% jump in taxable quarterly sales compared to the previous year.On the opposite side of the state, Lincoln County reported a little more than 25% quarterly growth...